Acts 8
1 With these words he fell asleep. And Saul fully approved of his murder. On this very day there broke out a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostle were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
Saul approved of his being put to death. On that very day a great persecution broke out against the church which was in Jerusalem; and its members, with the exception of the apostles, were all scattered over the districts of Judea and Samaria.
2 Devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentations over him.
Some religious men buried Stephen, with loud lamentations for him.
3 But Saul was laying waste the church. He was wont to enter into every house, and to drag off men and women, and to commit them to prison.
But Saul began to devastate the church; he entered house after house, dragged out men and women alike, and threw them into prison.
4 So those who were scattered abroad were going everywhere preaching the word.
Now those who were scattered in different directions went from place to place proclaiming the good news.
5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and began to preach Christ there.
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and there began to preach the Christ.
6 The crowd with one accord were giving heed to what he said, when they heard and saw the signs that he did.
The people, one and all, listened attentively to what Philip told them, when they heard of, and saw, the miracles which he was working.
7 For with a loud cry unclean spirits would come out of many possessed by them, and many that were palsied and lame were healed.
For there were many instances of people with foul spirits, where the spirits, with loud screams, came out of them; and many who were paralysed or lame were cured,
8 There began to be great joy in that city.
so that there was great rejoicing throughout that city.
9 Now for some time a man named Simon had been practising sorcery in that city, and had amazed the people of Samaria. He gave himself out to be some great person.
There was staying in the city a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic there and mystifying the Samaritan people, giving himself out to be some great being.
10 Many from all classes would give heed to him, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the Great Power."
Everyone, high and low, paid attention to him. “This man,” they used to say, “must be that power of God which people call ‘The Great Power.’”
11 They were giving heed to him because, for a long time, he had amazed them with his sorceries.
And they paid attention to him because they had for a long time been mystified by his magic arts.
12 But when they believed Philip, who was preaching glad tidings about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women.
However, when they came to believe Philip, as he told them the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 And Simon himself also believed, and after his baptism he remained with Philip, and was full of amazement as he beheld the signs and striking miracles which were performed.
Even Simon believed, and after his baptism attached himself to Philip, and was in his turn mystified at seeing signs and great miracles constantly occurring.
14 The apostle at Jerusalem, when they heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, sent to them Peter and John.
When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had welcomed God’s message, they sent Peter and John to them;
15 Who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
and they, on their arrival, prayed that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 For he had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
(As yet the Spirit had not descended on any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).
17 Then the apostles laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 But when Simon perceived that, by the laying on of the apostles’ hands, the Spirit was given, he offered them money saying,
When Simon saw that it was through the placing of the apostles’ hands on them that the Spirit was given, he brought them a sum of money and said,
19 "Give me, too, this power, so that on whomever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit."
‘Give me also this power of yours, so that, if I place my hands on anyone, he may receive the Holy Spirit.’
20 But Peter said to him. "Your money perish with you, because you have supposed that with money you can obtain God’s free gift!"
‘A curse on you and on your silver,’ Peter exclaimed, ‘for thinking that God’s free gift can be bought with money!
21 "You have no part or lot in this matter." Your heart is not right in the sight of God.
You have no share or part in our message, for your heart is not right with God.
22 Repent then of this your wickedness, and beseech the Lord to forgive you this purpose of your heart.
Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, that, if possible, you may be forgiven for such a thought;
23 "For I perceive that you still stand in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of unrighteousness."
for I see that you have fallen into the bitterness of envy and the fetters of sin.’
24 And Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me, both of you, that nothing which you have said may happen to me."
‘Pray to the Lord for me, all of you,’ Simon answered, ‘so that none of the things you have spoken of may happen to me.’
25 So the apostles, after bearing solemn witness, and declaring the message of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, evangelizing many Samaritan villages as they went.
Peter and John, having borne their testimony and delivered the Lord’s message, returned to Jerusalem, telling the good news, as they went, in many Samaritan villages.
26 And an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go on your way south, along the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert way."
Meanwhile an angel of the Lord had said to Philip, ‘Set out on a journey southwards, along the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (It is now deserted).
27 So he arose and went. And behold an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, who was a high official (a chief treasurer) of Candace, the queen of Ethiopia, who had come to Jerusalem to worship
So Philip set out on a journey; and on his way he came on an official of high rank, in the service of Candace, Queen of the Abyssinians. He was her treasurer, and had been to Jerusalem to worship,
28 Was now on his way home, and was reading the Prophet Isaiah as he sat in his chariot.
and was now on his way home, sitting in his carriage and reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join that chariot."
The Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up to the carriage over there and keep close to it.’
30 So Philip ran up, and heard him reading Isaiah the Prophet, and said to him. "Do you understand what you are reading?"
So Philip ran up, and he heard the Abyssinian reading the prophet Isaiah. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ he asked.
31 The eunuch answered, "Why, how can I unless someone shall show me the way?" And he begged Philip to get up and sit with him.
‘How can I,’ the other answered, ‘unless someone will explain it to me?’ and he invited Philip to get up and sit by his side.
32 Now the portion of Scripture which he was reading was as follows. He was led a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is dumb, So he opened not his mouth.
The passage of scripture which he was reading was this – “Like a sheep, he was led away to slaughter, and as a lamb is dumb in the hands of its shearer, so he refrains from opening his lips.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will declare his posterity? For his life is cut off from the earth.
He was humiliated and justice was denied him. Who will tell the story of his generation? For his life is cut off from earth.”
34 "Pray," asked the eunuch of Philip, "of whom is the prophet speaking? Of himself, or of some one else?"
‘Now,’ said the Treasurer, addressing Philip, ‘tell me, of whom is the prophet speaking? Of himself, or of someone else?’
35 Then Philip opened his lips, and beginning from that same scripture, he preached the gospel of Jesus to him.
Then Philip began, and, taking this passage as his text, told him the good news about Jesus.
36 And as they were going on their way they came to a certain water, and the eunuch said. "See, here is water! What hinders my being baptized?"
Presently, as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the Treasurer exclaimed, ‘Look! Here is water; what is to prevent my being baptized?’
37 And Philip said, "If you believe with your whole heart, you may." The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
So he ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water – both Philip and the Treasurer – and Philip baptized him.
39 And when they had come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but continued on his way rejoicing.
But, when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the Treasurer saw no more of him; for he continued his journey with a joyful heart.
40 Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town after town, he kept preaching the good news in all the cities until he reached Caesarea.
But Philip was found at Ashdod, and, as he went on his way, he told the good news in all the towns through which he passed, until he came to Caesarea.
